Just skipping the [Ann Arbor-Saline Road] interchange and going somewhere else is probably best practice, especially for this weekend

Ann Arbor is not the easiest city to navigate in the best of times.

With construction season in full swing and a major soccer game coming to Michigan Stadium, it will be especially difficult this weekend.

The number one thing you can do to prepare yourself—besides reading this article—is look at a map of Ann Arbor before coming to town, preferably one that includes the construction-related road closures.

The city can be tough to navigate, but if you come in with a rough idea of where you’re trying to go it will be much easier.

The number two thing you can do is to make sure to give yourself plenty of time to find your parking spot and get to the stadium. The game does not kick off until 4 p.m., so arriving a few hours early will help ease your traffic concerns and make parking easier.

The first challenge for those from outside the region looking to attend the Big Match at the Big House will be getting into the city. Two of Ann Arbor’s main arteries into the heart of town are undergoing construction and could be difficult to navigate.

The exit from Westbound I-94 onto Jackson Avenue (Exit 172) will remain closed throughout the weekend and is not expected to open until Monday August 4 at the earliest. Luckily, most people seeking to enter Ann Arbor at this exit will be traveling eastbound—from the west side of the state or Chicago.

The Ann Arbor-Saline Road exit is a mess of roadwork that Ann Arbor city officials are asking people to stay away from this weekend. If you’re traveling eastbound on I-94 you still might see a sign that says “Michigan Stadium this exit,” but exiting traffic from eastbound I-94 can only go south, not north, which means you won’t be able to get close to the stadium without a lengthy detour.

Westbound traffic exiting onto Ann-Arbor Saline road can go northbound, but this traffic would likely have already passed the State Street exit and better entrances to the city along US-23.

After the game, traffic moving away from the stadium southbound on Ann Arbor-Saline Road would be unable to get onto the highway at all.

View full sizeThe street closure and detour plan for Michigan football games this fall.City of Ann Arbor

MacDonell did say that the road commission still plans to be done with Phase 2—the complete closure of the bridge over I-94—by mid-August. He said all signs point to the bridge being open by the time Michigan's first home football game rolls around on August 30.

Obviously, part of the determination for where you enter the city will depend on where you plan on parking for the game, but each one that is open has its pros and cons.

The State Street exit (177) off of I-94 is the closest to the stadium, and is also close to Briarwood Mall, where you can park and take a shuttle to the game that only costs $1.50 each way. However, the exit is likely to have a lot of traffic because it is the best one to use.

The Jackson Avenue exit (172) is also close to the stadium and West Stadium Boulevard can easily be accessed from this exit by turning south onto Maple Road. Stadium Boulevard runs right to the Big House. This exit will also have traffic issues due to the ongoing road construction at the Maple Road and Jackson Avenue intersection.

The exits at Washtenaw Avenue, Geddes Road, and Plymouth Road will all be open and do not offer significant road construction to deal with.

The last highway that completes the ring around Ann Arbor is M-14. The exit at Main Street is the closest to downtown Ann Arbor, but the center of the city will likely be packed with both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

One exit to the west, the Maple Road exit offers terrific access to the Miller Road Park and Ride Lot, another location where there is pickup by the AAATA shuttle. If you are looking to get closer to the stadium, Maple Road turns in to Stadium Boulevard just a few blocks south of the exit.

Once you are in Ann Arbor, most major streets will be open to traffic. Street between Main Street and Ashley is expected to be put on hold over the weekend and traffic should be able to move through two lanes in each direction.

The main road closure will be the stretch of Main Street adjacent to Michigan Stadium. Northbound Main Street will be closed three hours before the 4 p.m. game time along with a number of smaller back roads near the stadium.

Southbound Main Street will close at 3 p.m. and the road will re-open in both directions at the end of the game.

After the game, pedestrian traffic will not be allowed in Main Street and will be limited to the sidewalks around the stadium.

"We can't have fans clogging the streets leading away from the stadium. From what I understand there will be additional officers on site to help control the flows of the crowd."

Kellar emphasized that no trouble is expected from the fans before or after the game, the increased police presence is simply expected to help control the flow of people unfamiliar with Ann Arbor's traffic patterns on game days.

Additionally, Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor and part of Liberty Street will be closed throughout the day Friday for the pre-game Soccer Street Party.

Make sure to check MLive later in the day Friday. We’ll have a complete parking guide that will include all shuttle pick-up locations and available pay lots.

Ben Freed is a general assignments reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at benfreed@mlive.com and follow him on twitter at @BFreedinA2. He also answers the phone at 734-623-2528.